


One, Two, Three, Four

by AliNear



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Accidental Death, Afterlife, Death, Ghosts, Luther fucked up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-01
Updated: 2019-06-19
Packaged: 2020-02-10 18:17:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 7,940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18665764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AliNear/pseuds/AliNear
Summary: “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.”Echoed in the cold hallway. For a second it was quiet, for a moment there was a stunned muddled-ness that kept everyone in place.And then there was movement.





	1. Chapter 1

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

               Echoed in the cold hallway. For a second it was quiet, for a moment there was a stunned muddled-ness that kept everyone in place.

               And then there was movement.

               Diego shot forward, slamming into Luther with an angry roar of defiance, rage, and bitterness promising retribution for his actions.

               Allison dropped her note book and with shaking steps and tears folded herself over Klaus’ slumped form.

               A creak was ignored in the chaos before the door to the prison shuddered and the iron soundproof door fell with a loud thump. In seconds Vanya was out and across the room, pausing to stare at the blood that dripped down the wall.

               That’s how Five found them. Diego raining punches down on Luther’s large form, meeting no resistance as he hit him over and over and over and over and…. There was blood smeared down the wall, leading straight to Klaus’ crumpled form, with Allison and Vanya crying over his blank green-eyed stare.

               “I-? What? What happened?” His voice trembled, as he took a step and then another, folding down to pet at Klaus’ curly hair that was damp and clumped with his own blood.

               “Lu-Luther,” Vanya whimpered, “Klaus was trying to get me out of the room and Luther just- he just-“

 

               **Klaus**

               Once Allison stepped down the final step and had her notebook out Klaus moved. Stepping around his brothers distracted forms to move towards the prison door. _He couldn’t leave Vanya locked up, not trapped for something she couldn’t help. Not like he was_. Looking at Vanya’s frantic face for a second before he pulled, straining his muscles and feeling vaguely like he was going to puke, he pulled at the seal. Ben’s form flickered, edging him on as the door gave a small muted creak.

               “KLAUS!” turning he was met with the sight of Luther’s hulking form, face red, and running straight towards him.

               Klaus felt his stomach drop and knew the bruises he was still nursing were about to multiple. He felt the large hand wrap around his neck and lift him as if he was nothing, thick fingers squeezing into his skin and making it feel like his head would be squeezed off like a toy. For a second, he thought about how much he didn’t want to do this again, his bruises will have bruises and he could already feel the headache from the pressure building. Before those thoughts could go far Luther lifted him up and slammed him against the closest concrete wall. Klaus thought he heard a crack before everything went black like someone had switched off all the lights.

 


	2. Luther

**Luther**

                He stared wide eyed at the body- at his brother’s body-broken (He had broken it) and staring blankly up at the ceiling. _For a moment all he can hear in his head is Four insane chattering in his ear, rambles and half jokes._

                “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.” His voice came out small and soft, calmer than the bubbling that tightened his throat and the sting that clung to his eyes.

                He took a step forward clumsily but that stepped seemed to be what was needed to break the muddled silence. _He can feel the weight of his brother, Six, in his arms- the blood- his brother’s blood coating his uniform as he carried what was left out._

                “AHHGGGHHH!” echoed down the long hall making Luther flinch back- eyes still wide at the memory.

Luther didn’t even turn or make a move to stop the force of Number Two hitting his side, forcing him onto the floor. (The same floor Klaus’ crumpled body laid not even feet away, oh God he had done that.) Luther’s eyes stayed on his brother’s body, dazed and unfocused as Diego pulled back to sit up enough to easily rain punches onto his head and chest. He knew Diego was going to beat him, he knew that he wouldn’t stop anytime soon.

“Our L-l-little bro-brother! Our Baby Brother!” sucking in air through clenched teeth Diego’s voice rose louder, nearly shrieking out “WE HAD A PROMISED, OUR FIRST MISSION REMEMBER?! THEY COME FIRST!”

And he did, he wanted to tell Number Two, he remembered the promise from their first mission. Number One, Two, and Five had always excelled at fighting, while Number Three wasn’t bad she didn’t have the natural predatory instinct the brother’s shared. Number Six was a pacifist and Four had never liked fighting either. They had promised the three brothers, after their first mission Number Six, Four, and Seven came first- the ones that didn’t want to or couldn’t fight- they always came first. Luther wondered when that changed, when he scolded Six to just use his power, when he berated Four for not trying hard enough, when he pushed Seven aside for not being useful. When did they go from being the ones that needed to be protected to those that were ignored?

_Diego never ignored them._ His mind betrayed him. _Diego told Vanya to stay back to protect, he taught Klaus how to aim so he could fight back, he trained to take out more enemies, so Ben didn’t have to. He succeeded where you failed. That’s all you are Number one a failure. The only thing this family needs protection from is you._

“I-I didn’t mean too,” he whispered, to himself more then Diego.

On the floor he could feel the vibrations of something but didn’t much care. He could see Allison stumble forward folding in on herself as her hands danced around Klaus’ pale body trying to find a pulse. He tried to will himself to move once he caught sight of Vanya, stumbling forward to fall besides Allison, pulling Klaus’ body up so his head was resting in her lap.

_Allison get back, she dangerous._ He willed himself to say, but she didn’t look dangerous as she sobbed, the blood from Klaus’ skull turning her pants into an ugly shade of brown.

He doesn’t see Five come down to the basement or hear him talk to Vanya. He doesn’t see Pogo or mom come down ten minutes later, either. His eyes stuck on the blood the was smear down the wall.

Diego’s punches are getting weaker and Luther could feel his tears landing on his face, but he still can’t make himself move.

Pushing himself up, Diego breaths heavily but moves to scoop Klaus up, bypassing the girls, Five, Mom, and Pogo to take Klaus upstairs. Slowly they stand one by one and move to follow Diego.

Luther stays there on the concrete floor, his gaze towards the stairs and body lax. He could feel the ache of where Diego hit him and knows he will be badly bruised but all he could think of… the only thing staying on his mind-

 

_Vanya might have hurt Allison, but he- he killed Klaus. He’s the one that should be locked up._

_He killed Klaus- he killed Klaus- his junkie brother- his insane brother- the brother that use to climb into his bed at night and whisper about the ghost- the brother always tried to include him- the brother that rambled stories to make them laugh and smile- the brother- the brother,_

_The brother he killed._

 

 

 


	3. Diego

**Diego**

Diego wish he sagged with the weight of 6’0-foot brother but he didn’t. His hands curled around bony knees and under a just as bony back, cradling his brother close as he walked up the stairs. He could see mom pause before turning to follow him up the stairs, her ever present smile gone and her gaze distant. He wanted to comfort her- but- but.

His eyes trailed downward.

Klaus’ dog tags had slid down his shirt and were hitting his arm with the rhythm of his walking. Hiss green eyes usually lit up with manic mischief and glee were dulled and glassy. His wild curly hair was damp with blood and stuck down and straight.

_“I lost someone.”_ Klaus voice had never sounded so broken and small, at least Diego had never heard it that way before. Klaus’ eyes had looked like this, vacant and dead as his head lolled to look at his brother.

He remembers the words he had said to Klaus, “ _Your luckier than most_ ” the remark about his powers that steamed from the lose of his first friend. He knew, _he knew,_ even if Klaus wasn’t terrified-scared-scarred by his powers, they simple didn’t work that way. _He didn’t mean it,_ he wanted to say, _I’m sorry,_ but the words weren’t leaving his lips.

He stopped in the foyer, the chandler still on the floor in pieces, and debated. He didn’t want to put Klaus on the cold medical bed… turning he made his way into the living room, carefully placing Klaus down and rearranging his arms so they’d be on his stomach. Pulling the chain, he thumbed over the words, one printed out the name Klaus Hargreaves and another Dave Katz. He tucked the two tags into Klaus’ hands and stepped back, right into Grace’s arms.

He stared at his brother’s pale face and all he could think; all he could say.

“I ho-ho-hope you-you’re with the-them.” His lips quivered.

His fingers trailed up towards his pocket, ghosting over an old photo of Patch and him from the Police Academy. _She’ll watch over you._

Allison came into the room, her tall form curled around Vanya as they walked in, both sobbing into each other. Pogo a second latter with the tapping of his cane, face set in devastation.

“Young Master Klaus.” He spoke sadly.

Mom stepped away from him with a soft hum, backing away so she could step around him. Her hand fell forward, softly petting Klaus’ hair and covering herself with his blood.

“Mom,” his voice cracked slightly, stepping forward to grab her wrist and pull her away from the body.

But she pulled away her facial expression turning into one of confusion as she stared intently at Klaus. She folded herself to her knees and stared intently at his face.

“Mom.”

“My bumblebee.”

“Mo-mom, he’s go-gone.” Diego told her soft, trying to ignore the hitch in the sobs when he said it and the fact Five had appeared, his face ragged and cheeks shiny. _He already had to burry Klaus once,_ his brain supplied, suddenly very aware of what Luther’s words at the family meeting meant.

For a second her hand halted in the journey towards his chest and her head titled slightly. With fingers twitch she gently placed her hand on his chest.

For a long moment all he could hear the choked sobs of his sisters, the hitch of Five’s breathing, and Pogo’s heavy sighs. He could hear the thrumming of his own heartbeat and the sound playing in his head of Klaus skull hitting the concrete wall over and over and over again.

He wondered vaguely if he would ever forget that sound- _you never forgot he sound of Ben’s screams as the monsters that lived in him ripped him in two-_ and knew it wouldn’t.

Suddenly mom’s hand shot up before falling back down to land gentle on Klaus’ chest- as if she had been surprised.

“Diego,” she called to him gentle reaching out with her free hand to latch onto his, “Come here.”

Pulling him forward she led his hand towards Klaus thin-skinny- to small chest. For a second, he thought about pulling away, he didn’t want to feel his brother’s still chest or the cold that was surely seeping into the body.

“Is my nerve system damaged?” she asked calmly as she placed his hand flat on Klaus’ chest.

“It was still and then- I thought- I felt?” her voice wavered as she looked at him.

“Mom-“ he paused, laying his palm flat against his chest.

It was faint, but just under his palm the steady thumping could be felt. Diego slide his hand up, curling his fingers around Klaus’ skinny neck until he hit the pulse.

“He’s alive.” He whispered, feeling a chocked sob bubbling in his chest.

“He’s alive!”


	4. Allison

        **Allison**

 

    Allison honest to god felt her heart stop. She felt the air catch in her throat and her heart stutter when those words left Diego’s mouth. So, she followed behind him, Vanya still clasping her hand and sobbing loudly as they followed Diego form. Klaus long legs dangling and the drip

Drip

Dripping of Klaus’ blood as it went through his hair and fell to the floor. 

They followed them into the medical room. They watched as Diego put Klaus on the table gently, his hand going over a hollow cheek. Five stepped forward, blazer and sweater off, his dress shirt sleeve rolled up as he held his arm out for mom.

But the blood was still drip

Drip

Dripping from Klaus’ head and echoing so loudly in the room. Mom pulled out a needle and started to get the blood from Five. Diego turned his back towards her, intently helping Pogo hook Klaus up to a heart monitor.

Vanya pulled away, disappearing out of the room. Allison wanted to follow her, but she was stuck, staring at Klaus. And for the first time in years, she really looked at him and thought about what she saw.

Klaus was 6 feet she knew that, the same height as Diego. But Klaus had always looked pinched, like putty spread out instead of Diego sturdy form that made him seem so much shorter than Klaus. His top that was already a little short road up even more and she could see that he was thin- like her model friends that she knew barely ate or had all kinds of eating disorders.

But the blood was still drip

Drip

Dripping as her thoughts raced in time with her heart.

 _When did he get so thin?_ Was her first thought. Before another nearly made her double over it hit her so hard.

_When did I get use to him looking like this?_

Because she can remember growing up, never questioning when Klaus could fit into her or Vanya’s clothes, never thought about how hollow his cheeks were or how boney his wrist and shoulder blades had _seemingly always_ been.

Her brother was starving, had been starving, and she had never really noticed. As she traced the memories, she realized with a gasp that it was before the drugs. She can remember his hollow cheeks before Five left, before he first came down from a high. One day her brother’s plump baby fat face came downstairs and there was no fat, just a hollowness that was reaching towards his eyes.

But the blood was still drip

Drip

Dripping and for a moment all she could see was more and more images of Klaus as they grew up. Skinny and sharp edges with smiles that use to light up his face and make his eyes sparkle, words that use to tease and prob and comfort, thin limbs he’d wrap around all of them whispering in their ears about freedom and family.

Eyes that began to lose their sparkle and turned dark, dull, and lifeless as he disappeared for special training. Hugs and words of comfort disappearing after Father started punishing him for being too soft. Laughter and jokes that became more forced the longer Five was missing.

 _I had watched him die._ Allison realized. _Dad, life, his powers… they were killing him._

But Klaus was still Klaus, still her brother, and even if they were all born the same day Vanya and Klaus had always been considered the youngest, the ones that needed to be protected. But her gaze shot to Diego and Five, the image of Luther slamming Klaus against the concrete the echo of his skull hitting the wall loud in her ears, but we failed. We didn’t protect either of them.

But the blood was still drip

Drip

Dripping when Vanya came back into the room, hold a large serving bowl of water and towels flung over her arm. Without a word and with tears still trailing down her cheeks she walked around the working party and put the bowl down at a side table. Wetting one of the towels and her hands, Vanya dragged her fingers through Klaus’ curls. Choking when her hands came back completely red and with bits of globs of gray and shards of white covered in pink and red.

Her eyes looked up at them as more and more tears built up. The diluted blood was dripping from her hands.

But Allison couldn't do anything.

Klaus blood was still dripping.


	5. Five

                Five was shaking. While Grace- mom, had carefully inserted the needle to get some much-needed blood, his eyes couldn’t leave Klaus face. And while he could hear Allison ragged breathing, Diego and Pogo shuffling around, and Vanya’s chocked sobs as she worked, all he could see was ash.

Klaus’ face pressed against the rubble of their home; hair nearly gray from the falling ash. He remembers that while it took him days to move Luther and burry him, Klaus’ form had felt light as he dragged him through the rubble.

_The ash was heavy in the air and didn’t help five’s lungs. He could hardly breath through his sobs, but the ash twirled in the air and for the seventh time he doubled over coughing. He walked through the rubble, counting off in his head, trying to push down the hope that Ben and Vanya had survived and out their- hopefully looking for supplies._

_ He knew that wasn’t true. Ben and Vanya were the softest along with Klaus. They wouldn’t have left without burying their siblings._

_It took him all day to calculate which piece of rubble to move to get the bigger pieces off his siblings. By the next day Klaus and Allison were free. Both nearly gray from the ash on their faces but free from the rubble. Five had brushed off as much as he could, running shaking hands through both their curly hairs, apologizing to their still forms when he hit a knot. It took another day to free Diego and Luther and get the ash off their faces._

_It took a week to dig their graves. His handwriting had never looked as bad as it did when he found anything to mark the stones, he put over top of them._

_Luther, Diego, Allison, Klaus_

_Hargreeves_

_October 1, 1989- April 1, 2019_

               

It’s the steady beeping of the heart monitor that pulls at Five’s senses. The steady beeping that showed he wouldn’t be burying Klaus for a second time.

                He looked just as pale, Five thought, just like he did then. But his eyes trailed up towards Vanya, her hands painted red with their brother’s blood as she untangled bits of skull and brain matter, he didn’t die from a caved in chest like last time.

He remembers feeling the bones give under his hands when the fireman carried Klaus, his long legs dragging behind him. He remembers the feeling of Klaus’ caved in chest on his shoulder. He remembers a lot.

                Mom pats his head and pulls the needle out carefully, handing him a small juice box with a smile. She moves around the room gracefully, ushering Diego towards Allison, before hooking Five’s blood up to his brother. Carefully, she pats at Vanya’s shoulder until she stands and curls her up into a hug before handing her towels to get the blood off of her hands.

                Soon their all ushered out of the room by their mother’s smiling face, promises of updates and if she needs help, she’d come get them leaving her painted lips.

                The four of them stand at the door silently for a long time. Five still thinking about bones under his hands and pressed against his shoulders, as he looked up towards his sisters.

                “Someone go get Luther,” taking a deep breath over the smell of rotting bodies and through the need to cough out ash, he spoke through clench teeth, “Family meeting now.”

                Allison and Vanya reach out, pulling him towards them and hugging him close as Diego storms out.

                “Don’t kill him.” He calls out, only half meaning it.

                The three of them shuffle into the living room quickly, taking the couch to themselves. Five thought he might want to push them away but the need for contact and memories kept him from leaving their embrace.

                Flexing his fingers, he tried to focus on the smell of their clothes, the detergent mom used to clean everything. The smell of home and not of the ash it became.

                Diego marched Luther’s bruised form into the room with a scowl and Five knew that the only reason he didn’t go back to hitting Luther was because he was tired.

                Luther was hunched over, shoulder’s tight and unmoving even as large tears trailed down his face. His lips were pressed into a straight thin line gaze locked on the ground.

                “He’s alive,” five announced loudly, “We’re not sure how, but he is.”

                Luther’s head shot up and lips finally parted as he looked at them hopefully.

                “Vanya was pulling brain out of his hair but apparently he’s alive.”


	6. Ben

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one has a different tone and i wanted it to, because Ben's situation is a little different then the others when it comes to death and to Klaus. I hope you enjoy it!

Ben had never seen the light they talked about in books, shows, and movies. He had died at sixteen…

 

_“You are a disappointment Number Four.” Reginald face sneered, his cane knocking against Klaus’ legs._

_The siblings had stood in a line, One, Two, three, Four, and Six, back’s as straight as possible as they briefed their father on their latest mission._

_Ben could see Klaus’ face twitch and his hands shake. A pool of blood was steadily dripping from his wound, making his already pale skin nearly translation. Klaus kept his face forward, staring at Five’s portrait blankly. Father smacked Klaus again._

_“You burdened you’re siblings-“_

_“It was my fault.” Ben blurted out the second he saw Klaus sway._

_His brother’s green eyes shot forward, a look of relief lighting them up even as he shook his head against Ben’s actions._

_“I was having trouble with them,” he lied, placing a hand on his stomach to add detail, “I distracted him.”_

_Reginald stared at him; lips pressed in a thin line._

_“Why am I only hearing about this now?” He sneered looking back towards his siblings, “Number Six you’re training will be doubled. No such… accidents-“_

_Ben didn’t listen, to busy trying to mouth to Klaus that it was okay. He’d be okay. He knew it would push back their plans another week, but one more week wouldn’t kill them._

_Ben hadn’t survived to see the end of the week, his father training leaving him drained each day before he fell._

_He had been so focused on Klaus. On leaving him behind after he had told him he’d never do that, that when his heart had finally stopped, and he opened his eyes… we’ll Klaus had known before Reginald._

 

Klaus heart stopped. Ben felt it. He felt it more then his own death. One second, he was yelling at Luther alongside his siblings and suddenly there was nothing but light. Everything turning foggy, like steaming rolling off pavement before a blanketing fog turned everything white. The dull ach of wrongness, the world lilting on its axis, and static dancing across his skin made him shudder.

One second, he was there and in a single step he wasn’t.

Ben peered around, something slotting in his chest- the same feeling he got whenever Klaus used his powers- the warmth that would flood his body, pooling in his stomach before branching out to wash over his body.

The field he was in had long grass and wildflowers all shades of gray. Trees lines the area blooming with life, all shades of gray. He could faintly hear the sound of a stream and he wondered if the normal sparkling waters would be just as gray.

“Ben?”

Turning, Ben was met with the sight of his skinny brother in a skirt and crop top. Toes curling into the ground as he leaned heavily against another man, whose arm was dropped across Klaus’ shoulders. The man was in jeans and a blue button up, a soft smile playing at his lips and eyes staring at Klaus’ face adoringly.

“Klaus,” Ben chocked out between trembling lips before he shot forward, sprinting headfirst towards him.

The man quickly pulled his arm back just as Ben took Klaus to the ground. Klaus erupted into giggles, his gangly arms wrapping around Ben as he laughed.

“Ben, Ben, Benni-boy, my Benji.” He whispered.

“Klaus, Klaus, Klausy-klue, Klau.” Ben whispered back just as affectionately.

“I missed hugging you.”

They laid there for what felt like hours, grass under them and a weightlessness they had never felt in life.

“Is this it?” Ben asked after a moment, “This time isn’t like the night club, you were back after a few seconds and I never… I didn’t see the light then.”

Klaus smile faded for a moment as he tipped his head back and held out a hand for the other man to take. When the man did, Klaus’ grin grew wider than Ben had ever seen it before he pulled the man down to join them in the grassy dirt.

“Ben, this is my beau, the only one for me, the light of my life, the apple of my…sight? No, wait, what was it.” Squinting up at the gray side, Klaus paused before shaking his head, “Doesn’t matter, you get it. Benny boy, this is Dave.”

Peering over his brother’s head, Ben waved at Dave’s dopy smile, before focusing back on his brother’s face.

“Klaus?”

“You could stay if you wanted…” he said softly, “Wait here for all the others.”

“That sounds nice,” Ben hummed, “But I’m not hearing a we.”

“Ben-“

“I promised you. It was always us against the world. Against One, Two, Three, and Five. Against the media and all those stupid fans. Against Reginald.” He paused, “We were supposed to leave that next night, you remember?” Ben spoke fondly, slinking his arm down to hold on to Klaus hand, “You were two weeks clean and we had stolen close to three thousand dollars, pawning all of dad’s weird shit. We were going to be free.”

“You wanted to take you’re GED, teach literature.” Klaus remembered, squeezing Ben’s hand.

“You wanted to go to art school, you hadn’t decided if you wanted to do fashion or something else. You used to gush about all the hot artist you’d fine.” Ben continued with a chuckle, “We would get married but live in houses next to each other or apartments in the same complex. You wanted to be cool uncle Klaus and spoil any kid I had…” the image played in his head, Klaus as his best man telling stupid stories about when they’d prank Luther,  “I followed your skinny ass for the last thirteen years. Thirteen, Klaus. I’ll follow it right back out to the land of the living.” Glancing back at the solider, they met each other’s eyes briefly before both trailed down to their own hands clutching Klaus’, “I think Lover boy is in agreement.”

Sighing heavily, Klaus looking at Ben before meeting Dave’s eyes.

“Well, I guess…”


	7. Vanya

                Luther was avoiding her, which she was okay with because the thought of Luther anywhere near her made her both sick to her stomach and a burning rage that bubble dangerously close to the surface.

It also worked out because the four of them had made an unspoken rotation. If Vanya was training with Five and Diego, Allison was sitting with Klaus. If Diego was taking her to her violin practice and standing guard (Making sure she didn’t accidently make things bend, break, and or float) Five would be in the med bay. When Vanya was helping Allison learn ASL or work on getting visitation rights to Clair, Diego stood guard over Klaus. They rotated, each terrified of the idea of their brother waking up alone or to Luther looming over him.

Not that Luther ever ended up in the room. No, Luther stood outside the closed door, staring at it sadly and muttering apologizes like the door was who he needed to apologize to.

Like Vanya hadn’t brushed parts of her brother’s brain out of his hair.

 

She was still mad. She still woke up some nights crying, the sight of Klaus’ blood on her hands and the feeling of the shards of bone and the squishiness of his brain making her gag.

But the anger and nightmares kept coming as days turned to weeks and Klaus showed no sigh of waking up. Pogo and mom had told them, holding out scans that meant little to Vanya’s untrained eye, that showed in the last couple of day’s that Klaus was re-growing his own brain. _Which apparently no one knew Klaus could do, so at least it wasn’t just her being surprised._ But Pogo had whispered, once mom had left to check back on Klaus, this was undocumented, unstudied territory, and unless he healed perfectly Klaus could still be severely handicapped.

“With the brain, “ Pogo had told them, “There is a large chance and range of complications. With an untested ability, we simply don’t know how much his ability will heal him.” he warned the siblings.

Like Klaus absence wasn’t already felt, like they hadn’t been sitting on what ifs and fear. The house so cold and filled with so many bad memories became a tomb in Klaus’ absence. Jokes were met with blank stares and tension ran high.

                Vanya couldn’t give up hope. It was the same stubbornness that had fueled all those nights she had made sandwiches for Five. The stubbornness that had kept her name and number under all of Klaus emergency contact information, just under Diego. She supposes it was also what allowed her to get close to Diego, Allison, and Five again, the stubbornness to want to be a family.

                So, each day she’d visit Klaus, even when it wasn’t her turn. She’d sit by his side, hand clasped in his and eyes locked on the heart monitor.

                It was just after dinner and Vanya was in the med room. She had taken the brush from mom and was carefully brushing out his curls, staring at his face. Diego had shaved him yesterday for mom and without his facial hair Klaus had looked like a fresh faced twenty-year-old. It didn’t help, she mused, that his hair was also much longer then it had been allowed to grow, making ringlets and curls that haloed his face. After Five, Klaus would look the youngest.

                Just as she was trying to gentle pull out a stubborn knot, the door to the med bay gave a dull thud. A sound everyone at the academy could distinguish as knives sinking into a target. The muffle sound of yelling came next before the door swung open.

                Diego pushed passed Luther and stalked in, eyes softening when he looked at Vanya and Klaus. He moved forward to stand close to her, arm crossed before his attention moved back to the door. Five came in next, his poster almost relaxed other than the tension in his shoulders. He moved to take a side at her right, hands buried in his pockets. Luther shuffled in head still down and shoulders hunched forwards like he was trying to shrink into his hulking frame.

                Allison shut the door behind her, face stern as she held out her notebook.

                The sentence “We need to work this out. Before he wakes up!” underlined and done over again in red marker.

                Luther made a noise in the back of his throat, face scrunching up in distress. His voice came out in a whisper and whatever he said was lost to the room.

                “Speak up!” Diego barked, his fingers automatically going to a knife.

                “I don’t know how to make this better.” Luther admitted, waving his hand towards Klaus and Vanya.

                “Apologizing to them and not the door, is probably a good start.” Five said snidely.

                Luther shuffled back a step, sighing heavily and squaring his shoulders, like he was preparing for mission.

                “Vanya,” he swallowed and she realized he was preparing himself for her answer, “Your my sister and-“ she realized that without if Klaus and her didn’t accept his apology the family was ready-

“I- I forgot that.” She flinched at those words, barely realizing when Luther flinched just as hard, ”and that’s my fault, I was scared and that’s not an excuse for my actions.” He continued, but Vanya had never felt so powerful and utterly afraid, she knew that they wanted he and Klaus to choose-

“I’ve made a lot of mistakes. I was blind to see how different Dad treated me compared to the rest of you, that our experiences weren’t the same.”

She was still scared of Luther though and Klaus still hadn’t woken up. She didn’t want this responsibility.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry my reaction was to treat you like how dad did. I’m sorry I hurt you and Klaus. I don’t deserve any forgiveness for these actions, I was a horrible brother, superhero, person and I’m just. I’m sorry. I know I don’t deserve it and I’m working through a lot of stuff- Allison’s books have been helping-“ He admitted, “But I’d like to try and be a family, be a real big brother instead of just Number One.”

The room is dead silent. Luther’s speech catching them all of guard, Diego’s fingers fell limp away from the knife and Five’s full attention was on Luther, like he was studying a particularly difficult math equation.

Vanya doesn’t know what to say. How to answer that plea for forgiveness. A part of her knows, recognizes from Allison’s books that Luther was just as abused as the rest of them, all of them taken apart and hurt in different ways. But apart of her is still deeply afraid and aches with sound of his voice telling her, they he forgot she was his sister. She had never forgotten any of them.

She would follow Allison’s social media, had become somewhat friendly with a police officer a Chuck Beamen to update her on Diego, left flowers by Ben’s statue ever couple of months, had Pogo update her on how Luther was doing on the moon, she had found Klaus over and over and over again on the streets giving him a safe place to stash clothes and shower when she could get him to follow her.

She opened her mouth, to say what she didn’t know, but the heart monitor was going a little fast and a small breathy groaned made the still room burst into motion.

“Get mom!” She pushed Diego away, pulling the brush – still half stuck in the knot- out and gentle cupping her brother’s face.

Klaus groaned again before he squinted up at her with his hazel green eyes. Swallowing thickly, just as Diego was about to go out the door, he spoke.

“Do you remember Lu?” He croaked, coughing harshly, “When Benny died, you’d go to each of our rooms after midnight, crack it open to check on us. You did it when Five disappeared to, worried we wouldn’t be there. You- you helped me sneak past dad dozens of times begging me to stop going out. You’d always pause at Vanya’s door, even when we were heading out on missions, to catch a few seconds of her playing.”

Luther shuffled forward, glancing at Diego as he went further into the room, before looking up to meet Five, Allison, and Vanya gaze. He stepped forward, standing by Klaus bedside.

“I remember,” He told his brother.

Klaus smiled, nodding his head in small jerking motions, his eyes sliding shut even as he spoke.

“Vi, do you member when Ben and I’d sneak into your room? You’d play for us for hours.” He huffed out a small giggle, “You’d sit with Lu on the front step during our free time, waiting for Five.” He mused.

“I remember Klaus,” Vanya whispered.

“Good,” He mumbled, humming softly, “Gotta remember the good times, gotta do that to.”

“Okay Klaus,” She whispered, petting his cheek, “I’ll remember, you go back to sleep okay? We’ll all be here when you’re ready to wake up.”

“Promise?”

“We Promise.” They echoed as Klaus’s form relaxed back into the bed.


	8. Klaus

It is perhaps the weirdest experience Klaus had ever had, which to clarify means its pretty fucking weird. Klaus after all was an ex-child-superhero, a time traveling Vietnam vet, could speak to the dead, a homeless genderfluid pansexual, and had once waxed his ass with chocolate pudding. He, as far as he was concerned, should be the master at knowing, understanding, and being weird. But… this was weird even for him.

                He was standing over is body, his alive body- cause the heart monitor said so- intangible, invisible, and-

                “Klaus, stop putting your arm through Vanya’s head.” Ben said monotoned, “She’s brushing your hair for you.”

                And she was- tugging gentle at knots and staring at his face in a daze. And it was strange because his body had been shaved and his lovely goatee was gone but ghost him still had it and he was going to have to talk to everyone about shaving off a person facial hair cause just like rude.

                “But it’s funnn,” He whined, giving his brother a wave, phasing his elbow straight through Vanya’s nose.

                “Babe,” Dave scolded, “stop being mean to your sister.” But his words were betrayed by his dimpled smile and soft chuckle.

                Klaus smiled, dropping his arm to stare at Dave. But Dave turned his gaze back to his body, staring at all the wires that connected him to a brain and heart monitor, and others for IVs.

               “Babe, you look so young,” Awed Dave cooed, reaching forward to hover his hand above Klaus’ naked cheek.

               “Honey for you, I’m immortal.” He answered back, “Davey likes them pretty boys.” Nodding he quickly added, “It’s cause I’m a snacc.”

               Snorting Ben shook his head, “You’re a lot of things but a snacc isn’t one of them.”

               “It’s okay Baby, I’m hungry.” Dave assured, stepping towards Klaus to pull him close.

Snickering Klaus buried his head into Dave’s chest, his shoulders shaking harshly at the faces Ben was making. Sticking his tongue out and miming gagging, Ben tried to make more and more disgusted faces, standing to walk around Dave, making sure his brother saw. Chuckling deeply, Dave pulled away, patting his head.

He didn’t even notice when Vanya had stopped brushing his hair or the nose outside the door, he was so focused on absorbing as much of Dave’s touch as he could, basking in the affection so freely given. He did notice when the door swung open and his other siblings came swarming into the room- Luther trailing after like a hulking kicked puppy.

                “Aw shit,” Shuffling over, Klaus half phased through Diego in his quest of curling into Dave’s side, eyes wide as he watched his biggest and older brother stumble over an apology.

                “I-I forgot that.” Luther’s words came out chocked, even if he could have picked much better words.

                “Really Luther,” Ben huffed, glaring at their brother angrily, “Shittiest apology I’ve ever heard, and I’ve heard Klaus apologize.”

                “Babe-“ Dave whispered urgently, gesturing towards the equipment around Vanya.

                Vanya’s face was slowly turning red as she glared up at Luther, brush forgotten her hands were in tight fist, and legs apart- the standard fighting stance they had all been taught at four years old.

                The equipment was rattling, shaking in it’s place the madder Vanya appeared to get.

                “Do something!” Ben urged, stepping around their siblings to push Klaus.

                “I don’t know what to do.” He whimpered, eyes darting between his body and his lover and then finally resting on Ben.

“Okay, okay, so like…. Ben how do I do I get back in my body?”

               “I don’t know, it’s your power!” He hissed, “Try like touching the body.”

               “Don’t call it a body, it’s me!” Klaus huffed but did what Ben said, pushing his hand against his chest, while he didn’t faze through like he did everything else, nothing else happened.

               “It’s not working.” He observed.

                “Deep breaths,” Dave soothed right as Ben opened his mouth, “Try and find a connection, you’re not dead, so something’s still tying you to your body.”

                Nodding his head, Klaus squared his shoulders and tried to meditate like he was taught, breathing through his nose, and relaxing as much of his body as he could.

               For a second there was nothing, as Klaus closed his eyes and tried to feel for something anything, just as he was about to open his mouth to tell them it didn’t work, everything changed.

Everything felt heavy, like weighted blankets filled with led or swimming through syrup. Everything was foggy and heavy, his eyes blurred and unfocused struggled to remain open, it was so different then the feeling he had just moments ago, basking in the presence of his favorite brother and boyfriend.

                Groaning, he tried to tell his siblings, trying to remind them of happier times that he had clung onto his entire life on the streets- sometimes the memories were only reason he hadn’t tried to join Ben.

“Promise?” He croaked, his body already sinking back into sleep as it tried to run from the pain.

His head aching like nothing he had ever felt making everything seem off and wrong, like clouds and cotton had been shoved in his head and packed, everything hurt.

                He swore he heard them promise before he completely blacked out.

 

                “Klaus,”

 “Klaus, you idiot.” Diego’s voice came out chocked, as he moved to claps Klaus’ hand. He brought the hand close, fingers sliding down to press against the pulse point as his brown eyes stayed on Klaus’ face. His gaze moved to the heart monitor, staring intently before his eyes soften and he looked back at Klaus’ sleeping form.

               “Do you remember when we made the even number club?”

                _I Do!_ Klaus thought happily, trying to relay that back to Diego.

 “We’d prank Luther… remember when Ben came up with the idea of putting frogs in his room?”

              The room filled with familiar giggles, as Ben’s voice commented happily, “Luther was so pissed, they had peed on his bed it smelt so bad.”

               “He never believed it was Ben.” Diego mused.

                The room was silent for a while before Diego sighed, squeezing Klaus’ hand before setting it down on the bed gently.

                “You have to wake up again, I promise I’ll buy you all the waffles.”

                Swallowing thickly, Klaus weakly got out, “With all the workings whipped cream and all.”

                “Klaus?!”

                But Klaus was already floating away, thoughts of midnight car rides and the weeks it took to get thirty-five frogs playing in his head.

 

                When Klaus was beginning to come around again, it was to Five sitting by his head.

                “You’re an idiot.” Five said promptly, thirteen-year-old face set in a scowl, “But you’re our idiot.” Squinting he stared at Klaus’ face, not hearing Ben and Dave’s snorts and chuckles of amusement at his choice of words, “So, you better wake up because I did not go through all this bullshit just for you to die.”

               Five sat there for a few hours, notebook in hand and furiously scribbling after that. Mutterings about numbers, times, and objects changing everything. Minutes before Allison came to take his place, he put his hand on Klaus shoulder.

               “I’ll give you that twenty if you wake up.”

                As Five left Allison cleared her throat, coughing, and tried again.

 “Klaus,” Allison voice broke, coughing harshly she tried again her voice coming out horse and pained, “You have to wake up okay? Not just for me, for Five, Vanya, Diego, you have to open those beautiful green eyes and say something to outlandish and Klaus-like.”

                Breathing heavily, she grimaced and rubbed her throat before croaking out her last sentences.

“I won’t say anything about you stealing my clothes, I’ll even taking you on an all-day shopping trip… There were-are so many places in LA, I thought you’d like, you need to come and see it. Come see Clair. Clair can’t wait to meet her Uncle Klaus and play dress up. I told her so many stories of our runway days.”

Even with her voice scratchy voice, its soothed Klaus is ways he could never explain to anyone. Slowly he inched his arm out, each inch feeling like an added weight on his body, before he curled his lng fingers around her wrist and squeezed.

 

               Luther shuffled in when mom was in the room, placing a picture down on a side table, his large hands fumbling and nearly crushing the frame.

               “I overheard Diego and Five talking about you time traveling. Apparently, you did that.” He muttered, more to himself then to Klaus.

               “I found the bar Diego said you made him stop at and well… I know it doesn’t make up for-“

               Luther paused, lifting his head and closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. For a moment he stood suspended in the moment, before he turned and made his way out of the room.

               A slightly faded brown and green photo laid in the frame, two rows of men each wearing army green uniforms, turtle shaped helmets, and rifles held loosely in their hand. In the second row, Klaus smiled faintly for the camera, body angled towards Dave’s form.

                “It’s our unit’s picture,” Dave whispered into his ear, “The entire 173rd, even Charlie and Chaz.”

                Klaus hummed, feeling a smile stretch across his mouth, faintly hearing mom as she came closer.

                “You awake my little bumblebee?”

                Humming lowly, he squinted up at her tiredly.

                “Hey, mom.”

                Her smile grew bigger as her hands fluttered around, gently cupping his chin and rubbing her thumb soothingly on his cheek.

                “You get all the rest you need; I’ll be here when you wake up.”

                “Thanks, mom.”

               

                Vanya was close by, playing a slow but uplifting tune. Turning his head, Klaus peered through his eyes lashes to watch her play. They stayed like that for a while before Vanya went to set her violin down.

                “Don’t stop now.” He whined, jutting his lip out and puffing out his cheeks.

                “Klaus!” She shrieked, eyes wide and a large smile pulling her face up.

                “Mhmm, That’s me.” He added after a beat. “Please play me a song.”

                Nodding her head, she raised her violin up and started the song over, only this time with Klaus humming along besides her.

                “I think we’ll get through this,” he commented once she finished.

                “We’ll be better.” She said after a moment, her fingers flying over her cell phone.

                “Space-boy, Kraken, Rumor, Seance, Boy, and Violin- no that doesn’t sound right...”

                “White Violin.” Ben announced stepping through the door with a lazy sway, “Her eyes turn white when she uses her powers.’

                “Space-boy, Kraken, Rumor, Seance, Boy, and White Violin.” He mused out loud, smiling widely as the door swung open and the other four came tumbling into the med bay.

                “HI!” He chirped, bringing his tattooed hand up.

                “Klaus.” They breathed a sigh of relief, moving to crowd around his bed.

                Looking around at his siblings, both dead and alive, he couldn’t help the bubble of hope that flushed his cheeks and stretched a grin on his face.

                It may have taken death, but maybe they would finally be a family.

 

 

 

 


End file.
